I Promise
by ougirl93
Summary: What would happen if Jack wasn't dead when Rose left him after the sinking of the Titanic? Would they find a way to end up back in each other's arms, or would a new romance for Rose leave them seperated forever?
1. Teaser

**Thanks for reading, everyone. I know this is VERY short, but I suppose you could say it's a teaser.**

**Please R&R if you think I should continue.**

**If I do, I can promise you this will NOT be like all the other Jack Lives stories.**

**Give it a chance? It's up to you.**

Rose awoke to an icy blast of sound waves shaking her log refuge.

"Is anyone alive?" called a mysterious voice that sounded like the heaven Rose had been waiting for. She slowly brushed the ice of her eyes with brittle hands and cleared the frozen tears that held her vision hostage.

A boat in the distance bobbed along the sea of bodies and debris. Rose's stomach sickened at the thought and chill of death. What if her beloved Jack had the same fate?

She turned her head, bracing herself towards where she had last seen her love and her heart swarmed with grief. The worst had come.

His eyes were sealed shut, as though he was in a deep winter sleep with frost enclosing his body like a thin glaze coating. He looked so peaceful, yet Rose knew he was exactly the opposite.

"Jack.." she called to him hoarsely, resting her head on the still strong hand of Jack, her tears freezing immediately to him, joining their bodies together.

"Jack!" she called louder into the air, sobs emitting openly. Yet he still remained in hibernation.

"Come back!" she screeched several times, her voice crackling the icy stiffness of death. But Jack wasn't coming back. He was gone.

The boat came closer, and with a sickening realization, Rose realize she was too weak to take her lover along to the boat with her. She'd have to leave him.

She embraced every inch of him detailed in her memory, every sob carrying more pain. She kissed his lifeless hand softly before prying his body from its frozen prison and whispering a few well chosen words.

"I'll never let go. I promise."

Her hands lost the grasp of his, the slippery connection breaking. She watched him slowly sink into the horrors and depth of rock bottom, and felt her heart do the same.

She finally drifted towards the boat into a daze before her heart nearly stopped.

She hadn't checked for a pulse.

Down into the murky abyss of water Jack sank. Ten feet, twenty feet, more. His tendons began to freeze together and his desperate heart slowed.

Jack suddenly awoke from his hibernation with a shock, the icy waters stabbing his weak lungs. She sputtered taking in more water in as he strained his newly awakened eyes to the surface.

A shot of warmth shot through his body. Maybe Rose was waiting to great him.

He slowly flexed his muscles, bringing himself back to life.

The ice coat fell off in layers, floating to the surface. A shattered outline of Jack.

He didn't have much time and he furiously kicked at the depths beneath him, pushing through his greatest challenge. His lungs swelled in a desperate need for oxygen. A few more kicks and he broke the icy surface, just in time to see a freezing young red head speed off into the distant mist.

He helplessly tried to call out to her, but his mouth hushed all sound and gushed water.

He passed out for lack of oxygen shortly after he spotted another rescue ship coming his way.


	2. Carpathia

**Not too much to this little bit.. I tend to write only small parts at a time… sorry.**

**Please R/R…**

**And a disclaimer, I don't own anything you recognize.**

Sunlight streamed in through an opening window, and Rose struggled to stay asleep, fighting the warmth that was seeping into her body.

She didn't want to go back into the life she had just escaped a few days ago. She didn't want to be back where she started, without a real direction in life besides the one forced to her by her mom. 

She wanted her new life back, the one with happiness, risk, and temptation. She wanted to feel free again, free enough to dare to hang off the side of a boat, singing melodies to the oceans. She wanted the soft touch of a warm hand to guide her. She wanted a soft baby face full of understanding to cherish. She wanted Jack.

Tears swelled in Roses' eyes, and she didn't bother to blink them back, let alone get up. She didn't care where she was, it didn't matter anymore. She felt hopeless, strapped to weights doomed to the bottom of the ocean, and in some ways, she wished that was true. Her heart was full of emotions, the remains of a broken heart.

If she had the strength, she might of thought of ended her own life to be with Jack… but his words would come back to haunt her. "Promise me you'll survive." She vowed to keep his wish for her true, it was the least she could do for costing him his life.

"It is better to of loved and lose the love then never to have loved at all." Rose recited to herself. It was a quote she'd always cherished as a young girl, when she still had hopes for love. She'd tell her mother that someday she'd marry a handsome prince and live happily ever after. The tears came quicker as she remembered her innocence. Now, of course, she severely doubted the quotes truthfulness. Maybe it would have saved her some pain to never of met Jack.

She felt terribly guilty at that thought, and she had to often remind herself that she loved Jack, and she'd never take back the things she did. She felt guilty of taking Jack's life as well… what would have happened if she'd given up the lifeboat to him instead of reverse? She didn't mind the thought of death… maybe the emotions wouldn't come as strongly in heaven.

She let out a harsh cough, shivering slightly. She guessed that she'd caught some sort of illness out in the ocean. Her mind was beginning to slow down; all of her intense emotions had drained the little strength she had out of her.

A small paddle of footsteps padded across the marble floor of Rose's room, and she forced her eyes open. A clean cut man came into the room, carrying a tray of medical tools. His eyes danced to hers, and he smiled softly to her.

"Rough night, huh?" he said softly to her, clearing his throat.

Rose didn't know what to say, and her voice came out as nothing but a rasp.

"Where am I?" she managed to bellow after a few attempts.

"_Carpathia_!" he said, good-naturedly, pushing back his brown bangs as he examined a small cut on her arm. "Fine, fine ship. All of the _Titanic _survivors are on it." He said, continuing to exam her.

Roses' heart skipped a beat… perhaps there was a small chance that Jack had survived after all.

"Do…do you know if a certain man by the name of J-Jack Dawson is here?" she asked, croakily, tears falling softly onto her cheeks.

"Can't say I do…" He said, glancing into her eyes with a worried stare. "You alright there, sweetheart? Crying won't make things any better." He said, straightening her chin up.

Rose nodded, not listening to him at all. Jack was really gone, after all. She had no intention of doing anything in New York, or trying to get back to her mother and Cal. And at the moment, she didn't really care.

"Well, my name's Mathew Fletcher... If you need anything. You appear to be in stable condition right now, so I'll be leaving to check up on some others." he said, grabbing his examining tools and leaving.

He turned back around, as he reached the doorway, and leaned against the doorway.

"Excuse me, miss. I don't believe I caught your name?" he said with a small smile. Rose couldn't help but be jealous of his happiness.

"Rose D-Dawson." She stuttered. The man tipped his hat, "Pleased to meet you, miss." He said, taking a small bow and exiting the room.

Rose was left alone to ponder with only her own thoughts and memories.


End file.
